Editors' Review

IrfanView is one of the longest-serving and most popular freeware image editors available. Fast, compact, and flexible, IrfanView is also packed with features and extras, including TWAIN support, frames and borders, and slideshows, wallpaper, and screenshots. IrfanView plays music and videos, too; in fact, it's long been prized for its ability to open a huge range of files. It's also widely customizable, with lots of options.

IrfanView's setup wizard is one of the most comprehensive we've seen, with many options to set, such as which file types you want the program to open. When you install IrfanView, it places two shortcuts on the desktop: one to open the program and another, IrfanView Thumbnails, that accesses a file-browsing tool with an Explorer-style tree view. IrfanView's main interface is just a plain empty window with a toolbar, but don't be fooled: whether you open an image directly in the main window or click an image in IrfanView Thumbnails to open it in a new window, the program's menus offer plenty of choices. The options menu addresses everything from how IrfanView looks to languages, plug-ins, and file associations, in case you want to change the settings you made when setting up the program. We clicked a few thumbnails and opened some images, which IrfanView quickly resized, converted, cropped, and flipped. We could also correct color, remove red-eye, sharpen images, and create negatives. One especially useful feature is IrfanView's lossless JPEG rotator. Many users are unaware that simply rotating a JPEG can reduce its quality, but a lossless rotator can reorient your images without changing the file's quality. Another neat extra creates panoramic images with the help of a simple wizard. Speaking of Help, IrfanView offers all any user could want, with a full manual as well as FAQs, a list of keyboard shortcuts, and online resources.

Fast and capable, this lightweight app is perfect for most jobs, and most users, too. With so many free graphics apps to choose from, you have plenty of options if you have special needs. We can't think of a better go-to image tool to start with than IrfanView.

Where to start? Comes with several built-in effects, has batch conversion, the author returns email questions, ability to resize pics easily. Just an overall good deal. Did I forget to mention it's free?

Cons

The many menu options could be intimidating to new users.

Summary

Have created many many wallpapers using Irfanview's effects and also the help of other plugins and filters (which I converted to 8bf and installed). I've posted these to a popular website which has earned me (several times over) featured album awards, featured photo awards, etc., etc. I am no graphic pro, but it's just simple to use, once you get the hang of everything. Irfanview is one of those "must-have" applications. I use it religiously and prefer it over any other grahic editor. Why pay for one when this one's free?

It is simple to use, has the functionality that satisfies the needs of the average camera buff from beginner upwards.

Cons

There is nothing that I particularly dislike about it.

Summary

I have other software that is more technically functional than this but have had it for many years and recommended to lots of people. simple red eye reduction, simple resizing and simple copy, cut and paste options.

The ability to do on-the-fly edits (cropping, rotating, reducing (a lot!) is excellent. I don't really have time, so have lapsed into a point and shoot mode.Irfanview allows me to relfect a portion of what I know in a quick and dirty manner.

Cons

I would like to see mass file name changes (it might be there but I don't know how to do it). But that would be really handy when I import a few hundred pics from my Nihon. Sometimes I do worry about quality when it compresses automatically.

Summary

If I had to pick 4 or 5 programs to see me through, Ifranview would be one of them. It allows you to work with pics fresh from your digital and really make them look good with mininal work. I only touch on a very small percentage of the capabilities in Irfanview but it is enough to keep me really happy with my output.

I particularly like the very easy to follow directions! Also the end results without all the hassle that some of the similar programs give you to try and get to the same result. PLUS, It doesn't cost an arm and a leg!!!

Cons

I really haven't found anything Negative about this programe at all!

Summary

I was looking for a very easy to use, simple programe to try and get some order into all the digital pictures that we take. (We have been touring Australia by Caravan and 4wd for over 8 years continuosly, and have thousands of pictures to sort.) The "select and click" to put whatever piccies you choose into whatever you click on and also into whatever order you wish is just so easy!! Even an oldie like me can understand and do it!!

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